Last Updated: January 22, 2023, 2:21 PM IST
Two of the finest batters in the history of cricket. (AFP Photo)
Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli: It’s a debate that continues to polarise opinions with former cricketers and passionate fans dishing out their own reasons to choose one over the other
It’s a question that will be crop up consistently for years. Maybe for decades without their ever reaching a consensus. Who is the greatest batter: Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli? Perhaps, you have the answer depending on which side of the fence you prefer.
Nevertheless, it’s an interesting, intriguing topic for debate. Stats, playing conditions, match situations, pressure etc – there are numerous variables to shape an argument from.
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But what do their peers feel?
Well, Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has a clear choice but he has a valid reason for that.
During a teaser for Prime Video’s upcoming documentary ‘The Test’ on Australian cricket, Cummins was asked by his team-mate Usman Khawaja to pick one out from Sachin or Virat.
“Sachin or Virat?” Khawaja fired at his Test skipper.
“Of what? Cooking?” quipped Cummins before adding, “I think I have played Sachin only once in a T20 years ago. So I will say Virat.”
Cannot argue with that, right?
Cummins had a query for Khawaja too: Rank these India legends – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman or as they were known back in their days as the ‘Fab Four’.
Like his captain, Khawaja didn’t do bad either.
“I would go Tendulkar, one. Dravid, the wall, two. Three, Dada. Ganguly , unfortunately this hurts for me to say for Laxman too, I love watching Laxman bat, but lefties first,” he responded.
Recently, two-time world cup winner Gautam Gambhir had also made a sound argument about why it’s not fair to compare the two cricketers.
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“You should not compare eras. It’s not fair to compare eras as well where there was one new ball as compared to now when there are 2 new balls with five fielders inside. But yes, he (Kohli) has been a master in this format and he has shown it over such a long period of time,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.
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